Abstract
Extensive applications of cerium oxide (CeO
2
) nanoparticles require a better understanding of their possible effects on human health. However, data demonstrating the effect of CeO
2
nanoparticles on the human skin melanoma cell remain scanty. In the current study, we determined the mechanism through which CeO
2
nanoparticles (APS <25 nm) induce toxicity in human skin melanoma cells (A375). The MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] and neutral red uptake assays showed concentration and time-dependent cytotoxicity of CeO
2
nanoparticles in A375 cells. CeO
2
nanoparticles significantly induced the generation reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and decreased glutathione levels in A375 cells. It was also observed that the CeO
2
nanoparticles induced chromosomal condensation and caspase-3 activity. CeO
2
nanoparticles exposed cells revealed the formation of DNA double-strand breakage as measured by percent tail DNA and olive tail moment through comet assay. The decline of cell viability, production of ROS, and DNA damage in A375 cells specifies that CeO
2
nanoparticles have less capable to induce cyto and genotoxicity.